Chapter 110. Five Dragons Fight for a Pearl (6)
“What do you mean by that, Young Lady Baekri? Why do you think I won’t be able to defeat San Woo-Gyeol?” Xiahou Jinxian asked.
To be frank, none of the people gathered thought that Xiahou Jinxian would be able to defeat San Woo-Gyeol. Not even his family members agreed with his words.
Baekri Hye-Min took a single, cold glance at Xiahou Jinxian before turning to Yu Cho without bothering to answer him.
“Isn’t all this because you wanted to play the hero? Sending each talent out like fodder to waste San Woo-Gyeol’s strength. Then, you would step forward at the perfect moment and finish him off. It all makes sense, considering San Woo-Gyeol is most likely the strongest within the Hegemon Clan.”
“It’s not like that, Young Lady Baekri. I just...”
Baekri Hye-Min directly interrupted him.
“Firstly, since you’ve already decided that our next representative is Young Master Xiahou Jinxian, there’s nothing we can do about it. However, to prove that what I’m saying isn’t true, if even Young Master Xiahou Jinxian is defeated, you’ll have to step forward yourself, captain. Don’t you think that as the one to win the tournament and be declared as the strongest, you should take matters into your own hands and shift the momentum yourself?”
There was nothing Yu Cho could say to refute her. Moreover, it would look rather strange even if he did.
In the end, Yu Cho nodded his head and conceded.
“Let’s do that, then. Moreover, I’d like to make it clear that I have no desire to become a hero, so please believe that, at the very least, Young Lady Baekri.”
“It would be a relief if that was the case. Understood.”
Realizing that he couldn't wait any longer, Yu Cho watched Xiahou Jinxian walk up the stage.
‘Please use as much of San Woo-Gyeol’s strength as possible, Xiahou Jinxian!’
However, Yu Cho’s train of thought was broken before San Wu-Gyeol and Xiahou Jinxian fought for even ten seconds.
Xiahou Jinxian flew up into the air after being hit by San Woo-Gyeol. Four of his ribs broke from the blow, and he flew across the stage before tumbling off the side.
‘Damn it! Just how is he so strong?’ Yu Cho thought as he looked at San Woo-Gyeol. He just couldn’t help but see the Hegemon Clan representative as a monster. It was to the point where Yu Cho even wondered if San Woo-Gyeol was really of the younger generation.
‘Just how is he so strong and how does he have such endless qi? They say people can regain their youth without making use of any special arts if they reach the Absolute realm. No... it can’t be... right?’
However, he soon dismissed it as an absurd idea.
Absolute Masters weren’t that common to begin with, and he couldn’t think of any Absolute Master who had similar characteristics to San Woo-Gyeol. Above all, Absolute Masters were more prideful than anyone else. It was impossible for any of them to be shameless enough to disguise themselves as a member of the Hegemon Clan’s younger generation just to compete in a spar. That held true even for those in the Evil Faction.
‘Regardless, it seems time for me to step up, doesn’t it.’
The talents of the Three Great Sword Families were looking at him with cold gazes.
He could see the rigid Woo-Moon and overly intelligent and bold Baekri Hye-Min among them.
‘Damned bastards! Screw the Three Great Sword Families, screw the Iron Sword Baek Family, and screw Song Woo-Moon!’
Internally raging against Woo-Moon and the others, Yu Cho ascended the stage. Once he arrived, he readied himself against San Woo-Gyeol.
“I’m Yu Cho of the Mount Hua Sect. I already know who you are, no need to introduce yourself.”
“Keke...”
San Woo-Gyeol just chuckled in response.
‘What a lunatic.’
After muttering to himself, Yu Cho attacked first.
"Then I’ll begin!”
Yu Cho moved quickly, drawing a half-moon pattern with both feet. Rushing at San Woo-Gyeol, he swung his sword widely.
Woosh!!
As plum blossoms bloomed one after another from the tip of his sword, the faint scent of plum blossoms spread through the air. It was an amazing display of swordsmanship—as expected from the first of the Three Legendary Plum Blossoms.
San Woo-Gyeol didn’t counterattack or block. Instead, he just moved slightly as he dodged each of Yu Cho’s attacks. However, eventually, he seemed unable to dodge one of the blows, and Yu Cho’s sword sank into his chest.
“He won!”
Seeing the sword pierce San Woo-Gyeol’s chest, the talents of the Mount Hua Sect clenched their fists and shouted.
However, they were quickly met with the sight of Yu Cho’s seemingly successful attack target disappearing like a mirage.
“Illusive Shift!”
The moment someone shouted, San Woo-Gyeol suddenly appeared behind Yu Cho’s back and punched forward.
“Ugh!”
Although Yu Cho’s senses had completely missed San Woo-Gyeol’s shift and the ensuing attack, he just barely noticed the man’s shadow behind him and used the donkey roll to avoid the blow.
‘Damn it!’
As Yu Cho blushed from the shame of having to use the donkey roll, something happened that caused him to blush even more.
BANG!
Before Yu Cho’s brain could even register the movement, San Woo-Gyeol’s fist exploded in his face and broke his nose. Blood spurted out of his nostrils.
Although it looked like he was going to scream, Yu Cho barely held it back.
However, San Woo-Gyeol’s attack didn’t end there. His fists continued to move back and forth, punching Yu Cho’s entire body.
“Cough... coug-agh!!!”
As the torrent of pain continued, it overlapped and created an even greater agony. In the end, Yu Cho couldn’t hold it in anymore and screamed.
After a while, his whole body was splattered with blood as he lost consciousness and fell on his back.
It seemed as though he was the one to suffer the most out of all the people defeated by San Woo-Gyeol.
“Senior Brother!”
The members of Yu Cho’s faction within Mount Hua rushed out, carrying him over to the physician.
“Kekeke! Oh dear, whatever shall we do? The Brave Captain of the Glorious Righteous Heroic Warrior Squadron collapsed!!! Just like that!”
The Righteous Warrior Squadron became even more gloomy.
Now, they really were backed into a corner.
There was only one representative slot left. On the other hand, the Hegemon Clan still had four other slots apart from San Woo-Gyeol.
It was a truly hopeless situation.
Even if someone was lucky enough to defeat San Woo-Gyeol, they would only be able to achieve complete victory after defeating four other talents.
Baekri Hye-Min stepped forward in the midst of the tense atmosphere.
“Now that the Captain has fallen, there is no one remaining with the authority to appoint the next representative. With that said, I would like to recommend someone to the stage. What do you all think about Young Hero Song Woo-Moon of the Iron Sword Baek Family? Although he may have lost to the current captain by forfeit, he’s still the runner-up of the captain selection tournament. Do any of you have any objections?”
Because the mood was so bleak, no one had anything to say. They were all just wondering what to do. A single San Woo-Gyeol had defeated four people, and yet he didn’t seem to be tired whatsoever. Moreover, considering the terrifying martial arts that he had shown so far...
They all just assumed that no one would be able to defeat him, regardless of whether Woo-Moon or anyone else came forward.
Of course, that only applied to those who didn’t know Woo-Moon’s true nature.
“Do whatever you like,” said the representative of the Shaolin Temple.
Then, weak words of approval came from the rest of the crowd. Maybe they would have had some sort of fighting spirit if the difference in skill appeared somewhat manageable, but San Woo-Gyeol’s martial arts level was so high that they couldn’t help but have no faith.
“Then, Young Hero Song, if you please,” Baekri Hye-Min said as she nodded at Woo-Moon.
Finally getting his chance, Woo-Moon walked up the steps with a confident gait.
Neither he nor San Woo-Gyeol said anything. They just stood there staring at each other for a while.
San Woo-Gyeol originally didn’t introduce himself when someone challenged him, while Woo-Moon didn’t bother to do so, either.
The heavy, suppressive standoff continued. However, the members of the Righteous Heroic Warriors Squadron seemed disinterested. Some even stared blankly at the ground. They all expected Woo-Moon to lose, and in a disastrous manner at that.
‘Let’s start!’
The one to move first was Woo-Moon.
He used the Northern Wind Steps and ran like the wind, cleverly moving to San Woo-Gyeol’s blind spots.
“Hmpf!”
With a soft grunt, San Woo-Gyeol punched preemptively where Woo-Moon was about to land. An enormous fist aura poured out from his fist and tore through the air.
Woo-Moon’s eyes narrowed. His figure blurred for a moment before completely disappearing. Appearing right next to San Woo-Gyeol, he used Raging Wind.
WOOSH!
Irregular and rapid sword strikes flew forward with terrifying screeches.
However, Raging Wind never had the chance to hit its target as San Woo-Gyeol had also disappeared. But instead of dissipating in the wind, he seemed to dissolve into the ground before appearing behind Woo-Moon.
Still, it wasn’t as if Woo-Moon wouldn’t have noticed that. At the same time that San Woo-Gyeol punched forward, Woo-Moon also displayed the Divine Phantasm Steps.
Woo-Moon blurred and disappeared once more, and when he reappeared next to San Woo-Gyeol, his sword was already striking down.
Clang!
A sound rang out from their collision, so sharp and metallic that it was impossible to believe that it had been from the collision of bare skin with sharp metal.
San Woo-Gyeol’s physical cultivation had reached a startling level. Not even the sharp blade of Woo-Moon’s sword could cut into his flesh.
After blocking Woo-Moon’s attack with his left hand, San Woo-Gyeol dashed forward on the spot, throwing himself forward as if he wanted to body-slam Woo-Moon.
“You ignorant bastard!”
With a single shout, Woo-Moon tossed his sword into the air and used the Heavy Rain Fist with both hands.
BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!
Woo-Moon’s Heavy Rain Fist mercilessly showered over San Woo-Gyeol’s upper body.
San Woo-Gyeol’s speed gradually decreased before he eventually was forced to a standstill.
Immediately, he raised his leg and tried to kick Woo-Moon. However, Woo-Moon grabbed Inkblade, which had fallen from the sky just in time, and countered.
San Woo-Gyeol used the force with which Woo-Moon struck his leg to generate a counterforce, rotating before throwing a spear kick. He combined the rotational force of Woo-Moon’s attack with his own force!
It was a genuinely terrifying attack.
His kick had so much force that even the nearby fragments of the stage flew in the direction of his attack.
In response, Woo-Moon used the Impenetrable Golden Wall.
A golden shield appeared in an instant! Just like before, Woo-Moon countered San Woo-Gyeol’s attack without fail.
An opportunity opened after Woo-Moon successfully defended the attack. Woo-Moon didn’t miss the opening and struck with North Wind.
Shing!
With a sharp screech, Woo-Moon’s sword aura closed precisely on San Woo-Gyeol’s neck. No matter how strong his physical cultivation was or how much his skin resembled steel, it would be nothing against sword aura.
As expected, San Woo-Gyeol had a technique to match. Although his technique required an enormous qi consumption, it was his technique with the greatest range.
The immensely powerful Demolishing Fist overtook a wide area.
It simultaneously swept away not only the hidden force of the North Wind but also all of its surroundings as well.
CLANG!
The two people almost instantly rushed in as if they were pulling each other. Clashing, they bounced away from each other even faster with an incredible noise.
Tap.
BOOM!
Woo-Moon deftly somersaulted away from the collision while landing lightly on the stage, while San Woo-Gyeol, still smiling, landed heavily moments after.
“You’re pretty impressive, aren’t you?”
“Kekeke...”
Joy flashed in San Woo-Gyeol’s eyes, and hidden in that joy was the desire for slaughter.
“Wow!!”
“What!!!”
The talents had watched indifferently at first as they had assumed Woo-Moon would lose immediately. However, they grew more and more anxious as the battle between Woo-Moon and San Woo-Gyeol went on longer and longer before eventually expressing admiration when the two ended their first clash on equal footing.
Neither had the upper hand.
“As expected from Uncle!”
“He really is incredible.”
San Woo-Gyeol had seemed like a colossal mountain that could never be scaled.[1]
However, Woo-Moon showed no signs of being crushed by the weight of this mountain.
1. This is a wordplay in the original—San Woo-Gyeol’s family name means “mountain.” ☜